Domestic laundry



C. KARTOWICZ.

DOMESTIC LAUNDRY APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 191E.

1,1943%. Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

17 Fig J TED @TA PATENT DOMESTIC LAUNDRY APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

Application filed April 27, 1916. Serial No. 93,841.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYRYL KAR'rowroz, a subject of the Czar of Russia,and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDomestic Laundry Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in domestic laundry appliances,and particularly of the type known as wash-boards.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a wash-board havinga flexible corrugated face upon which the artlcles to be washed aremoved with more or less force in connection with soapy water, wherebydirt and other like accumulations may be removed by a scrubbing process.

Another object is to provide such Washboards in forms which will notdamage or tear the articles washed, as by pulling off buttons or thelike, the surface being so flexible as to sensibly give under excessivepressure.

A third object is to provide means by which the corrugated plate may bereadily removed for renewal and cleansing.

These and other similar objects are attained by the novel constructionand combination of parts hereafter described and shown in theaccompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a wash board made in accordance withthe invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 22 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial rear view of the wash-board showing theplate tightening device. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken online 44 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmental sectional viewindicating the frame construction.

In the drawings, the wash-board is seen to comprise a frame consistingof side members 10, connected on the top by a bar 11, having a curvedupper surface, an intermediate bar 12 extending at a distancetherebelow, and a third or bottom bar 13 above the portions adapted toextend into the tub or receptacle in which the washing is done.

Attached to the upper bar 11, by clips 14, is a plate 15 adapted to betilted or inclined with relation to the frame 10, and extending betweenthe top and intermediate bars is a plate 17, central with relation tothe side bars 10, upon which may rest bars of soap or other likecleansing agents.

Both the intermediate bar 12 and lower bar 13 are groovedlongitudinally, substantially at their center, as are also the side bars10, the grooves receiving a plate 20 of flexible material as rubber,having ribs 21 disposed from side to side along its face, the edges ofthe late being secured within the grooves 22, ormed in the sides 10, bymeans of vertical bars 24 having a wedge shaped portion 25 which may beforced into the groove 22 together with the plate so as to hold the samefirmly therein, and also stretch or expand the plate to a considerableextent.

The bars 24 are caused to move simultaneously by means of the links 26,one end being attached by pins 27 to lugs or extensions 28 formed withthe bars, the other end of the links being pivoted at 29 to the clevisbolt 30, the lower screw-threaded end 31 of which extends downwardly,through the lower bar 13, within a sleeve 33 provided with a collar-likehead 34, disposed upon the bar 13, a winged extension 35 being formedwith the sleeve at its lower end disposed below the bar 13. Thus it willbe seen that upon turning the extension 35 that the links 26 are causedto operate, either in pressing the plates 24 outwardly, thereby securingthe rubber corrugated plate, or conversely, retracting the same, so thatthe plate may be removed from the slot 22. In operation it is found thatthe corrugated face of the plate when firmly held at its edges in anexpanded condition, will move resiliently when the articles washed areforcibly brought toward its lower end, the same flexibility be ingapparent upon a return action. Thus fine clothing can be washed withouttearing or damaging the fabric of which it is composed, and buttons notsubjected to a tearing strain as on a common rigid wash-board. Shouldthe corrugations 21 become worn or for other reason it is desired toremove the flexible plate, the bars 24 are moved inwardly, therebyliberating the plate with entire ease.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a wash-board, the combination with a pair of oppositely disposedgrooved side frames, transverse bars connecting therebetween, a flexiblecorrugated plate adapted to engage within the grooves of said sideframes, rigid wedge shaped bars adapted to clamp said plate in thegrooves, and means for forcing said bars in opposite directionssimultaneously whereby the flexible plate is clamped or released.

2. In a wash-board having grooved side bars, transverse bars connectingtherebetween, said transverse bars being also grooved upon theiradjacent surfaces, of a flexible plate, lateral ribs disposed upon oneside of said plate, said flexible plate being suited to enter thementioned grooves, strips coincident with the length of said flexibleplate having a. wedge shaped portion adapted to enter the grooves insaid side bars, links engaging said strips, a clevis bolt pivoted to theinner ends of said links, and means for operating said bolt whereby thedistance between said strips may be adjusted.

Signed at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny, and State ofPennsylvania, this 17th day of April, A. D. 1916. e

CYRYL KARTOWICZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

